Crutch



Aug. 9, 1932.

Filed Oct. l, 1931 v 4 o 2 Wm 2 \3.. M, M a# N 4T; a, M AU n@ a .5 7%.#3 8 4 3 3 9 a 3 o3 3 4 3 @V WVl i.. m M n F l a I 4 VIM A m Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UITED .stati-'151s if A1,870,921

'PATENT j olFFlcr;` 'I

VERNON MURxA, on DAYYTQN, oHIo ,v

caution Application filed ctoberL' 1931. Serial No.v 566,232.

Further objects .and advantages .of the,

m present invention will be apparent from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing' wherein .a preferred embodiment of one form of the pres'-` ent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: .v

Fig. 1 shows a crutch equipped with the present invention. l I- Fig. 2 isa fragmentary edge view .of-the lower portionV of vthe crutchto Which/the y, invention is applied. f i` Fig. 3-is a sectionalview taken! along the line 2%3y of Fig. 12. v 'Y j Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view takenalong theline4-4ofFig. 3. l

Referring to the drawing the crutchis shown comprising `strut members 20 and 21 provided with a shoulder rest 22 and ahand grip 23 which secure the struts together in proper spaced relation.V f

The lower ends of he struts 20 and`21, or more specifically, the ends opposite the shoulder rest 22 are fitted into asleeve 24.

which holds theseends of the struts prop# erly spaced and also reenforces saidstruts.

l/Vithin the space defined by the inner, adjacent surfaces of the struts and the side walls of the sleeve 24 aleg 25 is slidably supported. v The struts prevent Vvvobbly movements of the leg toward the front or baclr edges of the crutch while the" sleeve prevents such movements transversely of the crutch.`

As shown in Figs3 and 4, the innersurface of the strut 20 is provided with arecess26 within the confines of sleeve'24. Two openings 27 and 28 extend through said strutfrom the recess 26 to theouteredge vof `the strut.

A plate 29 is housed Within the recess 126 of lstrut 20. Fig. 3 shows this plate provided with saw 4tooth shaped ridges 30. These'ridges each have a surface 3l substan edges yof ridges 30 will be spaced from'the tiallyY at right ,angles tothe plate and a sloping surface 32. For kpurposes to bedescribed, the surface 31 of each ridge is at the bottom as considered inconnection with the crutch. -The thickness of the plate 29 from the apex of the ridgesto thesurface adjacent the strut 20is `less than the depth of recess 26vso that when the plate 29 engages the bottom of the recess 26 the sharp adjacent surfaceof leg 25. 1 60 Plate 29 hasprojecting'lugs 33` and 34 which respectively Vextend into openings 27 and28 of strut 2O said lugs preventingmovementof .the vplate -longitudinally Vrelatively tothe strut, still permitting said VplateA toV be moved transversely of the strut toward the legna Thev ,surface-1 the .sleeve/24, 'jiitti-ng over the surfaceof strut havingfopeningsf27 '7b f and 28, hasftwo box-like extensions 35 and' 36 respectivelyaligned with openings 27 and 28. Nuts 37 and 38 are secured withinthe respectiveextensions35 and 36 in any suitable VVmanner so that ,the nuts may not rotate relatively 'to the sleeve. Openings` are provided in the extensions 35 and 36 to align vwith the threaded openings of the respective nuts.'y These nutsreceivescrews 39 andv40 respectively, each screw being Vprovided with asuitableheadwhichmay easily be gripped to permit. operation byV hand.

' i. :From theI above description ofthe device it may readily be seen Vthat while screws 39 and 40 are infthepositionasf shown in Fig. 3, 8:3, teeth of plate will'not-,grippingly engage the leg25 and thus this leg may be slid longi- 4tudi'na'lly of the struts 20 and 21`into any position'of adjustmentsothatthercrutch will j be of-a -proper-lengthfonthe stature of. the be j person, to Luse it; ToY secure the leg in this positionyscrews 39^and140 are turned in the nuts 37 and 38 respectively, so that theyfwill rexert* pressure upon the; lugs 33 vand 34Irespectively thereby urging the plate -29 too5` ward the leg 25 whereby the teeth 30 on said Vplate'. will; bitel into said leg and clamp or loclrfit in this adj-usted position. Teeth Y30 being san/tooth shaped Vand arranged so that the `right angled surface 31 `of each is Ythe '5100 Voutwardly relative to the struts, will cause the sloping surfaces 32 of the teeth 30 to cam` said plate towardthe strut 2O and out ofengagement with the leg thereby permittingthe leg to be slid into the desired adjustment'in" fmentf;

either direction. f Y

In the present invention applicant has provided a crutch:ofsimple'structure and'design which may conveniently'be adjusted for use by varioussized persons. without necessitating tools of any kind.u VThe device is of such a character that the leg maybe locked in any adjusted position, be the adjustments minute or of an extensive character. While the formiof embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes. apreferred form, .it is Vto be understood that other forms might .be adopted, all. coming withinthe scope of the claims which follow. What isA claimed is as follows: v 1.'A crutch having 'twoA struts held in spaced relation'by a shoulder rest at one end and a handgrip intermediate the-ends thereof comprising, in combination; a sleeve about the ends of the struts opposite the shoulder rest,vholding thestruts in spaced relation; a legslidably supported betweenthe strut ends within the sleeve; a toothed member movably supported in one of saidstruts; and means supported solely by-theA sleeveand adapted to beV operated toy urgeitheitoothed member into gripping engagementwith the legyto lock it against movement relatively to the struts. "N g 2; A .crutch 'comprising two strut members held in spaced relation by a shoulder rest and a hand grip one of said membersvhaving a transverse opening; a sleevel around the struts holding them in proper spaced relation atfthe j, ends opposite the shoulder rest; a leg slidably carried between the strut ends in sail sleeve; a toothed member on* one of the struts, said member having a pin. extending into the transverse opening 1inv the strut to-permit only transverse movement of the toothed member relatively tosaid strut; Aand means supported by the sleeve and Yoperable -to'engagethe pin of the toothed member to urge-said member into gripping engagement withthe leg. Y i f 3. A Vcrutch having twolstruts securedtogether in properly spaced relation by'a shoulder rest at one end and a hand grip intermediate tlie ends of the struts, one of said struts having'a recess; a sleeve itting'about the ends of the struts opposite the shoulder rest,` said sleeve', reenforcingV ,the struts and holding their'end portions in proper spaced relation; a leg slidably supported between the strut ends within the-sleeve; a plate in the recess provided "in the strut; and a member threadedly supported b-y the sleeve and extending intorjsaidrecess of the strut and en-l gageable with'the pin of the plate to urge said plate toward the leg so that its teeth gripplngly engage the leg to lock it against move- 4. A crutch having two struts a shoulder lpiece and a hand grip; a sleeve'about vthe lower ends of the struts to brace them and holdtheminproperlyspaced relation; a leg slidably. carried 'between said ends of the struts; aiplate interposed between one strut having a recess; a sleeve about the lower ends of the struts to brace themV and VKholdi- ;them invproperly spaced, relation; av leg slidably carried between said ends'V ofthe struts; a plate interposed betweenionestrut 'and the leg, said plate having,saw-tooth'shaped ridges; 'in' 'its surface adjacent 'the leg each ridge having a surface at right angles to the plateand a sloping surface, the ridges being so arrangedf'thattheright angle surface of eachv is at the bottom, relatively to the crutch; athreaded nut non-rotatablysecured to the sleeve; and a screwrin said nut, extending into therecess in the strut and engaging the plate, said-.screw being adapted to be A operated to urg'ertheplatey towardA the leg so that the teeth grippingly engage the leg to prevent relative movement thereof. l i A-crutch having two strutsfone of which is provided with an opening, a shoulder; r piece and ahand grip a sleeve about the lower ends of the strutsto-brace l them and! hold them yin properly Yspaced relation;

a leg slidably carried Ybetween said endsV of the' struts; c a1 plate interposed betweenione strutand the leg, said' plate having saw-tooth shapedv ridges.Y in its surface adjacent the leg;- the angular surfacesvrof said ridges sloping downwardly toward the leg; a box-v like extension inthe surface of, the Sleeve engaging an edge of a strut; a nutjsecured inA said extension ofthe sleeve;'a screw `in .said,nut, extending into thelopeni'ng in the strut;,a pinon the plate,'extendinginto the its movement relaf opening in the strut and engaged bythe screw.

7. A crutch having two struts, one of which has a recess in one of its surfaces, and

a plurality of openings a shoulder rest and l a hand grip in combination with a sleeve about the lower end portions oi:V the struts holding them in predetermined, spaced relation; a leg slidablyV supported between the said end portions of the struts; a plate in the recess in ka strut surface adjacent the leg the thickness of the plate being less than the depth of said recess; downwardly *einV tending, saw-tooth shaped teeth on said plate adjacent the leg; pins on the plate extending into openings in the strut; nuts itting and secured within depressions in the edge wall of the sleeve said depressions corresponding in shape to the nuts; and screws extending through openings in the sleeve and threadedly engaging the nuts said screws engaging the pins on the plate and being adapted to urge the pins and plate toward the legwhereby the teeth on the Aplate will bite into said leg and locl'it against movement relatively s Y to the struts.

8. A crutch having two struts secured together in spaced relation at one end'by a shoulder rest; means surrounding the other ends of the struts and holding them roperly spaced; a leg slidably supported between these latter ends of the struts; gripping means interposed between the leg' and Vone strut member; and means supported solely by the` surrounding means and engaging the gripping means to urge it into gripping engagement with the leg.

In testimony whereo` I hereto aliiX my signature,

VERNON MURKA. 

